I would Jump To, Into the Blue
by Waternymph95
Summary: Zac's cousin moves to the Gold Coast for a fresh start. Amber knows that her cousin has been hiding a secret, and it has something to do with his new friends and Erik, who she can't get out of her head. As Amber and Erik grow closer, something dark stalks the shore threatening everyone she cares about. Set after season 3's ending in the Merman Chamber. Erik redemption fic
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Mako Mermaids or any of its characters, only my OC. The title of this story comes from the song "Mermaid" by the singer Skott, her work is amazing and a huge inspiration for this story. This is a story that I've been working on for over a year and I hope you enjoy. Review and let me know what you think. You, the readers, really make all the work we do worth it. Bye lovelies.

Chapter One

Uncle Blakely held a sign high and waved his hands enthusiastically as we exited the airport arrival lobby.

My little sister stood close to me clutching a stuffed dolphin to her chest and backpack on her back that was nearly the same size as she was.

"Uncle Blakely!" I yelled, dropping the four bags I was carrying and ran over.

"Amber!" Uncle Blakely smiled and embraced me. "I'm glad you're here." He stepped back and held me at arm's length drinking in the sight of me, "You've changed your hair," and he gave my pixie length brown hair a playfull flip.

"Yeah I've been keeping it short since the start of junior year."

"I like it." His mouth opened wide in an exaggerated, "wow". He let go of me and knelt down to Lily's three and a half feet height, "My, my, Lily. You must have grown four inches since last I saw you."

Lily's face reddened as she reached up to put her hands around his neck.

Uncle Blakely grinned and picked her up, backpack and all. "Urg," He groaned, "you getting almost too big to do this."

"Where's Aunt Lauren?" I looked around but didn't see her.

Uncle Blakely sat Lily on her little feet again, gently ruffling her hair. "Oh, I'm sorry." he shrugged, "She had to finish her shift at florist, but she promised to be back at the house when we got there."

There was one more person I who I wished was there but I was almost afraid to ask, "And Zac?" For the last year he'd been pulling away, not sending texts or emails like he used to everyday.

"Oh, yes," Uncle Blakeley's smile fell, "I'm afraid he couldn't make it either." It seemed he wanted to say more but shook himself and his typical smile was back in place. "Well, how about we get going."

He picked up two of our bags led us outside to his car. He piled the luggage into the trunk, while I climbed into the backseat with Lily. She leaned into my side and sighed tiredly. By the time Uncle Blakely started the car and began to drive away from the airport she was already asleep.

Glancing in the rearview mirror to check that his youngest niece was well and truly asleep he gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, "She still not talking?"

I glanced up from Lily's sleeping face, "No, nothing yet."

"And… how are you?" He asked.

"I'm fine." I answered, maybe a little too quickly. The message was pretty clear though, I didn't want to talk about it. Uncle Blakely nodded in understanding and turned on some soft classical music. As the car pulled onto the highway I let myself fall into daydreams.

By the time Uncle Blakely's car pulled into the driveway the sun had gone down.

"We're here." He announced and shut the car off.

His voice brought me back to reality and I gently shook Lily awake. "Lily baby, time to wake up." The time zone change had really wreaked havoc on her sleep schedule.

Uncle Blakely pulled out a couple of the bags from the trunk while I got the rest.

"We're home!" Mr. Blakely announced pushing open the door.

"Lily, Amber dear." Mrs. Blakey grabbed us girls in a crushing hug.

"Hi Aunt Lauren." I smiled, pressing my face into her neck and squeezing the older woman back. She looked so much like mom, she almost even smelled like her.

Lily said nothing, only just barely hugged back.

"Aww honey." Aunt Lauren pulled back and placed her palm on my cheek, using her thumb to brush away a stray tear. "I miss her to."

Then I saw Zac. His hands were in the pockets of his shorts and he shifted uncomfortably. I squinted my eyes at him, he was off, something was different about him.

"Hi… Zac." I spoke hesitantly, unsure if we were still on speaking terms. Since he stopped talking to me over emails I didn't know if he even wanted to be around me.

He wavered on his feet, "Amber." Then he stepped towards me, wrapping his arms around me, just as comforting as when we were children. "I'm so sorry."

It was like the past year of silence hadn't happened. We were just family both grieving the same loss.

"I missed you." I whispered.

"I missed you to." Zac tightening his arms around me before pulling away and turned his attention to Lily. "Lily, it's good to see you." He gently pecked her cheek like he used to do when she was little and it actually managed to get a small smile out of the girl, her lips parting to reveal her two missing front teeth that had yet to grow in.

"Well, you two must be tired," Mrs. Blakely said. "Your rooms are ready upstairs.

"Thank you." I hefted my smaller bag over my shoulder, letting Lily climb up the steps ahead of me.

Uncle Blakely waited "Before you go up I just wanted to let you know that our lawyers have put through the adoption papers and they should be official by the end of the week."

Here came the tears again, I blinked rapidly to keep them from spilling over. "Thank you for everything."

"It's nothing." He kissed my forehead, "We'll be up for a while longer if you need anything." Then he followed Aunt Lauren into their kitchen.

Zac stayed behind a moment longer, "I… um… I'm staying outside in the bungalow now, but if you need anything…"

"Thanks Zac," I said catching his hand.

"Come here." Zac pulled me into another hug. It felt amazing to have someone who knew something of what I was feeling. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight" I answered as he headed out the door.

Our rooms were side by side, the Blakely's knowing that we'd want to stay close together.

Lily needed some help to get ready for bed. I brushed her hair and tucked her in. Her red curls fell across her eyes and I brushed them away from her face. Lily's brown doe eyes stared up at me, sad. Again I felt a wave of worry spill me. I set a quick kiss to her cheek.

All that was left for me was to go into the room that was set aside for me, I couldn't quite bring myself to call it my room yet. The walls were painfully blank. Everything about the room from the desk to the comforter on the bed was generic, nothing of my personality was there. Without bothering to put on PJ's I sat down on top of the comforter and reached into my bag. I pulled out a small picture frame. It was a simple silver frame that held a picture of me and Lily with an older woman, our mom. The sun shone brightly in the background and we were all laughing. For the life of I couldn't remember the joke our mom had told.

I eventually drifted off only to be awoke sometime in the night when Lily climbed into the bed next to me and curled into a ball.

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It was over breakfast a few mornings later when Zac leaned over the counter and pulled down the college pamphlet I'd been looking though.

"Do you want to come spend the day out?" He asked.

"Where would we be going?" Furrowing my brows at his inquiry. I took a sip of my orange juice and set it down.

"I know for a fact that Cam and Evie want to see you." He was hopeful.

"Um I don't know. What about Lily?" My eyes flicked over to where my sister was leaning against Aunt Lauren on the couch.

"She'll be okay with me." Aunt Lauren called over the news they were watching, "You should go out. It'll be good for you. You've spent too many days cooped up in here with us old people." She laughed at her joke.

"But college…" I began.

Zac interrupted by tossing my pamphlet aside, "You have a year before college. Come on."

His pouting wore away my resolve. "Ok." I smiled, "Lead the way" I relented giving Lily kiss on the cheek as I followed Zac out.

By the time we made it to the juice bar I was panting and feeing quite dehydrated. When Zac opened the door cool air blasted me in the face in an icy relief.

"Are you okay Amber?" Zac glanced at my clammy skin as he led me over to a table.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just forgot how hot it is here. It never gets this hot back home." I eyed all the teens in shorts, tanks and flip-flops. Perhaps skinny jeans, a black ACDC shirt, and combat boots weren't the best idea.

Zac had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud. He looked around the room until he saw the table where everybody was already sipping their drinks. Evie had been kind enough to order something for both of us.

Cam was there as well and three other beautiful girls. I saw Zac gulp nervously and he put a hand on my arm leading me over.

"Amber!" Evie squealed and grabbed me in a hug.

"I am getting a lot of hugs lately." I joked halfheartedly. "It's really nice to see you again."

"Hey Rocky." Cam used the old childhood nickname he'd made up for me. He held his arms open awkwardly, then settled for a playful punch on the shoulder.

"Heya Camster." I smiled reciprocating the punch. "Still getting causing trouble?"

Cam blushed, "It wouldn't be me if I didn't stir up a little controversy."

"Rocky?" One of the other girls at the table. She was bright blue eyes and long dark brown hair almost as dark as Zac's.

"It a pet name," Cam explained, "You know, since she's named after a type of gem."

"It seemed much more clever when we were twelve." I admitted as I took my seat down next to Evie.

"Amber this is Sirena," Zac pointed at the blonde with bangs, "Ondina," the other blonde, "And Mimmi." He finished by pointing at the brunette. "Everyone this is my cousin Amber, she and her sister just moved here." Zac finished introductions.

"Hi everyone." I gave a little wave.

An awkward silence fell over the group and I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. While Sirena and Mimmi seemed welcoming, Ondina glared at me from across the table.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, "So do you want to order something to drink or…"

"Your accent is weird." Ondina stated bluntly.

"Ondina!" Sirena hissed, embarrassed while Mimmi stared at her wide eyed.

"What?! I'm curious." Ondina shrugged flippantly.

"I guess it kinda is." I ran a hand through my hair, "I'm from Ohio."

"Where's that?" Ondina plowed right ahead with another question.

Zac placed his face in his hands and shook his head in denial. I guess this was a common occurrence in this friend group.

"In the US." I crossed my arms and folded my legs underneath me. An unusual question but then it wasn't uncommon for non-Americans to be unfamiliar with all the states.

"And where's…" Ondina began but Mimmi cut her off.

"I'm sorry," Mimmi said, "she can be a little weird."

"I am not…!" The blonde protested, but Mimmi ignored her.

"I used to live north of your country and I hear it's really nice there." Mimmi smiled brightly. Her accent sounded vaguely Canadian. Her comment was a little off, but at least she was making an effort to be welcoming.

"Yes it is, I've never really lived anywhere else so I don't have much to compare it to…" I trailed off noticing Ondina staring at me, or more specifically my head, in intense focus. It was she was trying to read words across my forehead. "Um, hi.."

Ondina blinked. "What's wrong with your head?"

There was a chorus of shocked gasps, "Ondina!"

"I cut my hair." I answered the question I think she was asking.

She gasped clutching her own locks, "Why would you do that?"

Leaning across the table I fixed her with a smirk, "Because it was annoying me." And my hair wasn't the only thing annoying me right now.

"Oh look, our waiter's here." Mimmi nearly yelled.

That was weird. I gave Zac a sideways glance, he just held his hands up in a "what can you do" gesture. Definitely going to ask Zac about his new friends later.

Mimmi was exceptionally cheery, until she saw who the waiter was.

"Erik. What are you doing here?" Ondina practically growled at the guy holding the order list.

The waiter, a tall blonde clenched the menu tightly. "Um, trying to make a living, listen I know what I did was…" he held a hand out to Ondina but she jerked away.

Ondina looked away, the floor, Evie's shop, anywhere but this guy standing in front of their table, "I see you got your job back." She muttered.

"Yes." He dropped his hand to his side.

"So go do it somewhere else." Ondina snapped.

He paused, looking like he wanted to say more. But Ondina refused to even look at him. Accepting defeat his expression darkened and he stalked away.

I sat there stunned, not wanting to speak lest I piss of the already very pissed off girl.

Carly ended up taking our orders and brought all juices to the table. The three girls stared at me strangely when I just ordered a simple coke.

I sipped my drink and sat up straighter in the chair and looked around for something to do than meet the girl's strange gazes, especially Ondina's. "So where's David?"

'Ah, he's out with his brother fishing." Cam putout down his mango smoothie.

"How's he been?" I asked.

"Pretty good, he's actually started dating Sirena." Cam answered.

Sirena blushed and grinned, "He's really sweet." She sounded a little love dazed.

I smiled into my drink, "That's good, he deserves a great girl."

Sirena blushed even harder. She seemed nice like Mimmi, though more innocent and childlike. She reminded me a bit of Lily. Yep, I was going to like this girl.

"So…" Cam began, "What have you been up to Amber?"

"I've been looking into colleges, I'm taking a year off before I go back to school to be with Lily."

Evie, genuinely interested, joined the conversation, "What are you thinking about studying?"

I shrugged, "Maybe biology, definitely something in the sciences. Although, recently I've been looking into careers in first responder positions."

"That's fantastic Amber." Evie exclaimed

"And…" Cam hesitated.

I looked over her cup at him, expectantly.

"So… how have you been? Since the accident?" Cam asked.

Zac shot a glare his way.

Suddenly I was no longer thirsty and shoved my cup away. The three girls flinched away from the moving glass but I barely paid any attention.

"What accident?" Mimmi glanced between Zac and Cam.

"I'm sorry I have to go." I suddenly shot up.

"Wait…" Zac reached for my arm as I passed by.

"I'll see you back at the house." I shouted over my head lowered in an attempt to hide the tears that were starting to fall. I should be able to talk about it, Cam was one of my closest friends. Just not right now. Not this early.

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Zac watched his cousin flee, and then turned his anger to the reason why, "Man, really."

Cam, as usual was oblivious to how his words affected others. "What? I was worried about her."

Zac stood and towered over him, "When she's ready to talk she'll talk. For now just let her be."

Evie placed her arm on Zac's shoulder, "Come on, let's go for a swim."

Zac grimaced, "Good idea."

The girls and Zac left, leaving Cam wishing he had the ability to zipper his mouth shut.

Back behind the bar Erik watched the group leave, he thought about following behind. Maybe try again to explain his actions.

Carly placed a tray down in front of him. "So, you gonna take your break or what?"

"I'll be back in twenty." Erik took off his waiter's apron and headed towards the beach where he knew his former friends wouldn't be. Maybe he'd have time to clear his head before he had to return to his shift.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Once I reached the beach I took off my boots and rolled my jeans up, letting my bare feet dig into the sand with each step. Arms swinging by my side with shoes in hand and the warm sun over my closed eyelids.

I got a few strange looks from the other beach-goers in their swim wear. Shrugging it off, I kept walking at a slow pace down the shore. The breeze blowing in from the ocean smelled of salt and sea weed, calming my heart rate. So different from the crisp pine tree scent of home. And that's what I needed right now, to not be reminded of home.

There was a large outcropping of rocks that hid a good portion of the beach from view. On the far side was a nice shade covered niche in the rocks that was the perfect size for to fit comfortably inside.

There in the coolness I pulled out my phone to listen to the new Imagine Dragons album. I was halfway through the second song when I heard feet running quickly over the sand. The waiter from before come into view and began to take his shirt off on his way to the water.

I pulled out my ear buds, "Please tell me you're not skinny dipping." I shouted over at him. Poor guy should know he had an audience.

He shoved his shirt back down and whirled around startled. "What are you doing here?!" He demanded, perhaps a little too forcefully.

Ok, then I can be grumpy to. "Being anti-social, avoiding people, plotting world domination. How about you?" I jabbed sarcastically. What, did he own the beach or something?

The guy's expression softened. "Sorry, that was rude. I just wasn't expecting to run into anyone."

"That's why I came here to."

"Wait, I saw you earlier, with Zac." He slowly approached me.

"Yeah he's my cousin." The sun was right in my eyes by now and I had to shield them to get a good look at him. "You were our waiter."

"Yes." He winced. "Sorry about that. At the juice bar, that was awkward."

"Right," I said emphasizing the word, "Zac's friends. Hey, if it make you feel any better I don't think I fit in with them much either."

"We used to all be friends but…" Stuffing his hands in his short pockets he searched for the right words to use.

"Stuff happens."

"Something like that." He paused, holding out his hand "Anyway we weren't properly introduced, I'm Erik."

"Amber." I shook his hand.

"So…What's bothering you?" Erik asked getting down on the dry sand beside me, leaning back against the rocks. He was a little bold, but not in bad way. I kind of liked it.

"What makes you think something is bothering me?" Being nonchalant was never my forte.

"You're sitting behind a rock completely covered head to toe on a beach, all by yourself while I know you have friends who are wondering where you are."

A laugh escaped my mouth, "Okay Sherlock, you got me. But if something is bothering me, then something is bothering you."

"What makes you say that?" Erik looked out at the ocean, a little worried he was so readable.

"Really?" Amber laughed, "I saw that little exchange with you and the blonde…um" Snapping my fingers, wracking my brain for the girl's name.

"Ondina." Erik supplied.

"Right. So," I glanced at Erik, "You and Ondina."

Erik laughed humorlessly, "Ah, it's complicated." He glanced out at the ocean then back to me. "And you."

"Ah, well…It's complicated."

He laughed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope." I jumped to my feet and looked down him. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Erik shook his head and stood, "Not really."

"Well, I really should get going." And held my hand out to him, "It was nice to meet you." A flyaway strand of hair blew in my face and with a huff I blew it aside.

He took my hand, "Same." His white teeth flashing in the sun.

"Well… so…bye." Inwardly I winced. Dang it. Usually I was fairly articulate. Best to leave before I put my foot in my mouth. Grabbing my shoes I headed back up the beach.

"Do you think I'll see you again?" Asked Erik.

I couldn't help the small smile that spread across my face as I swung around. "Probably. I'll be around." Holding my arms wide to gesture at our surroundings, "I won't be going anywhere for a while."

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Erik waited until she was out of sight and then ran into the water.

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Later that night we were eating dinner.

Aunt Lauren had fixed spaghetti, normally they dined on something from the sea, but over the past summers when we'd been guests at their house they'd learned to be more cautious. Such a drastic change from barley any sea food, to pretty much only sea food meant two sick stomachs and a few doctor's visits. Besides spaghetti was Lily's favorite.

Lily had her chair pushed flush with mine and her head was leaning against my side. I was eating with one hand while my other brushed along Lily's cheek in a soft caress.

"So how was your day?" Uncle Blakely asked before putting swallowing a mouthful of spaghetti.

"Zac took me to the juice bar." I swirled my fork in the pasta. "It was really great seeing Evie and Cam again." And it had been nice to see the two again, even if Cam had been less than tactful with his questions.

"And how was your walk?" Zac asked.

I was surprised but touched that he genuinely wanted to know if I was okay. He didn't say anything about me running out. Which thankfully spared me another host of questions about "why" and, "how were you doing" and my favorite, "is there anything I can do".

"It was pretty good. I just walked along the beach for a while." Lily shifted and I glanced down to see her eagerly listening, "I found this really cool little place out of the way. I should take you sometime."

Lily didn't answer, a small smile on her face the only answer she gave.

"That's nice dear." Aunt Lauren squeezed my shoulder.

Leaning back in the chair I stabbed at the wiggly worms of pasta, "I also meet a guy, he seemed pretty nice."

"Who?" Zac was intrigued now, smiling coyly.

I gasped and threw my napkin at him, "Not like that! He was just friendly."

"Uh-huh." Zac murmured.

"He actually knew you. His name was Erik."

So caught up in taking another bite of pasta that I failed to notice the grin fall off Zac liked he'd been slapped.

"You shouldn't be around him." Zac stated, his voice low and angry.

I raised my eyebrows over the fork. "Excuse me?"

"I thought he was my friend but he… just stay away from him." Zac snapped and went back to his food, thinking the discussion was over.

Mr. and Mrs. Blakely gaped at their son.

I had whiplash. What just happened? Then the fire that rose up when people tried to tell me what to do started to rear its ugly head. "What makes you think you have a say in what I do?" I growled.

And there went all the pleasantness of the evening.

This flustered Zac, "I'm trying to protect you." He pleaded.

Rage boiled in my stomach and I untangled Lily from my side. We hadn't yet talked about how we'd grown apart. He acted like it had never happened. But it had. "After the last few months and not a single email or call from you…" my voice became very quiet and calm, "I don't need you." I stood to quickly, the chair almost tipping over. "Thank you for dinner Aunt Lauren. Good night."

With that I climbed the stairs and closed the door to the room I was staying in, just barely resisting the urge to slam it. Throwing the lock I stomped over and threw myself on the bed. Then thinking better I got up and unlocked the door for when Lily would come in later in the night.

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The next day I strolled along the beach. Again I'd opted for my skinny jeans, not being a huge fan of shorts. However I'd relented and worn a white lacy tank top I borrowed from Evie to stay cool. I hadn't been walking five minutes when I came across Erik leaning back near the shore watching families playing nearby. As I walked over Erik looked up from the sand he was running through his fingers.

I waved and came to a stop at his outstretched legs, "My cousin says you're trouble."

Momentary dread flitted across his face.

"He says I should stay away from you." I crossed her arms.

Erik's cheeks reddened, "So what are you doing here?"

I laughed and plopped down on the sand next to Erik, a bit of dust kicking up in my wake. "If you want to make sure I do something, tell me I can't." Digging my feet into the sand I turned my face up to the sun, the warmth on my face was nice.

"So you're only here to make Zac mad?" Erik sounded a little hurt.

"What? No. You're fairly good company. Plus you don't know my crazy, and I don't know your crazy. Which makes you pretty easy to talk to." I nudged his shoulder and he laughed. "If I piss of my cousin in the process, an added bonus."

"Can I ask… I mean… What did Zac do to make you so angry?"

"Well," I bit my lip, wondering if I wanted to talk about something so personal with someone so new. But there Erik sat with genuine interest and care on his face and I decided. Yes, I could talk to him, "There was a time not so long ago that I told him almost everything and when he needed me I was there for him. Then when I really needed him and he was just gone."

"What happened?" Erik pushed gently.

"My… um, mom passed away." I said quietly. This was the first time I'd said it out loud in a few months.

Erik's eyes grew wide. "I'm so sorry." He glanced around before continuing, "Can I ask, I mean how…?"

"Car accident." The words were blurted out, almost like I wasn't the one saying them. But finally saying it to someone was more of a relief than I ever expected. "My sister and I were in the car with her. It was just a simple fender-bender, but the seatbelt tightened across her neck just the wrong way and…" The words caught in my throat and Erik's warm hand came across my back, a welcome comfort. He surprised me further by letting my lean into him as we stared out at the water. I gulped, "The Doctor's said it was a one in a million fluke, she just happened to be the millionth."

"I'm sorry." He said and I could tell he meant it.

He said nothing else. There we sat him comforting me and me letting him. It was better than all the long winded speeches from my mom's colleagues at her funeral.

A shrill scream, just barely audible over the screams children at play, filtered up the beach.

"What's that?" My eyes shot open. I cupped my hands over my eyes to block out the sun.

"What's what?" Erik followed my line of sight.

"Oh my god!" I jumped to my feet.

There about thirty feet from the shore a teen boy was splashing frantically. And just behind a black triangle fin ducked under the surface, pulling the boy with it.

"Shark!" I screamed running to the shore. "Shark! Get out of the water!"

Erik ran behind. "Shark!" he yelled, holding his hands around his mouth to amplify the sound and waving his arms to get the swimmers attention.

The children who'd been playing now were in a panic, swim toys forgotten, they climbed over each other to get to the shore. Parents waded out and snatched their children up.

"Where's the life guard?" I yelled over the commotion.

Erik caught me before I fell into the sand and shoot a look over his shoulder at the empty life guard stand. "The guard should have started his shift ten minutes ago."

The boy surfaced for a brief second and then was pulled down again, his scream cut off.

I sprinted for the water.

"What are you doing?" Erik ran behind.

"I was a lifeguard back home!" I yelled back and ran into the water fully clothed "Call an ambulance!" And I dove under. Going from the wave pool at Coney Island and the ocean was a huge step up. I had to do this.

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Erik didn't have time to stop her. He whipped out his cell and dialed the emergency number. Then throwing his phone aside he ran into the water. Amber had a few seconds head start, but he'd be able to find her and the injured boy quicker than any human could. He just hoped the shark didn't get to them first.

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The water got murkier the further from shore I got. I broke the surface and struggled to get a breath over the harsh waves. The jeans I was wearing were water logged and weighed me down. I quickly slipped them off and let them fall into the darkness and continued on.

In a few seconds, which felt like hours, I reached blindly in the water and my hand closed over an arm. It took all my strength to pull the boy to the surface. His face was way too pale and he was barley breathing.

The shore was about fifty feet away and I started swimming for it, careful to keep the boy's head above water like I'd was trained. I could get us to shore, I just had to keep moving. That was when I felt it. Water rippling like a current too close to my feet.

Unbidden my head turned down to where our feet were dangling. A huge, glassy eye was fixed on me with more focus and intelligence than an animal should have. And the teeth, a gaping void surrounded by white knifes larger than my hands. I trembled at the creature below the surface, just feet away from my toes. The boy I was holding was out cold and I couldn't help but envy him a little.

The water around us had turned dark from the impending sunset allowing the shark to melt into the darkness. The boy groaned and my eyes flickered to his still unconscious face for only a second, but when I looked back the shark was nowhere in sight.

But I still felt it. Circling us.

Something brushed against my feet and I had put a fist in my mouth to keep from crying. If I started splashing, it would only incite the shark to attack faster. Where it touched my legs I felt the skin tear a bit from its sandpaper hide.

Again something touched me. This time it brushed against my back, ripping my shirt.

It was playing with us.

Something clamped down on my shoulder. I cried out and waited to be jerked under. Whipping my head around only to be met with…

"Erik?" I started at him, eyes wide.

"Give him to me." he reached for the boy. "I can get you two to the shore…"

Then he was struck by a dark fin and sent violently flying to the side.

"Erik!" I screamed and came face to face with a monster.

Right in front of me, no more than three feet away was the shark. The mouth closed and for some reason that terrified me more.

That was enough. No more being toyed with. The terror flowed out my system, eerie calm replaced it. I balled up my fist. "Back off!"

The shark surged forward just as I dove with the boy to the side and pounded my fist into its eye, it's only weak spot. It was only enough to stun it for a few seconds, but would have to do. There was blood on my hand but I ignored it. My energy was spent and I struggled to hold the boy above water. Then suddenly I felt a hand on my back. Suddenly we were plowing through the water and thrown up on shore.

Sand dug into the cuts on my back making me groan.

There was no time to look around to see what had propelled us through the water. The boy was still losing blood. He had a gash running all the way down his shin, not terrible but still threating. Briefly the thought crossed my mind that a shark of that size should have done more damage. I stripped off my shirt, heedless that my bra was now on display to everyone and tied it into a tourniquet around his thigh.

Emergency sirens were getting closer. The boy opened eyes and squinted up at the sun.

"You're okay." I brushed his hair away from his eyes with one hand while the other pressed to his would to stifle the bleeding. "You're going to be okay."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Out in the water the shark was long gone. Erik watched the ambulance arrive and load the boy into the back with Amber who had minor abrasions where the shark had brushed up against her.

Where had that shark come from? It was bigger than any he'd seen. And given he spent most of his life in the ocean he'd seen a lot.

Beside him three heads poped up out of the water, Zac, Mimmi and Ondina.

"We swam here as fast as we could?" Zac said, watching his cousin finish getting loaded into the ambulance and it drive away. "What happened? Is Amber ok?"

"She'll be okay." Erik answered.

"What was it?" Mimmi looked down in the water, afraid it was still there.

"A shark, but there was something wrong with it." Erik replied, still very shaken.

Erik now had Mimmi's full attention, "What?" She asked.

"It was big enough to take all three of us down, but it didn't. It was like it wanted us to be afraid."

"Don't be stupid Erik," Ondina hissed, "it was just an animal."

Then quietly, so only he could hear, "Was it?" Erik whispered and followed them under the surface.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

I sat on the emergency room bed while a nurse finished up the scrapes on my leg and moved to my back.

How did I get to the shore? It was a question that had been bothering me since I had climbed in the EMT's vehicle. We had been far from shore. Too far away that the idea that in a surge of adrenaline I could have swum it all by myself was out of the question. I had nearly passed out when we had reached the shore. And we had been thrown up with such force that we had traveled a good six feet onto the beach. One thing I did remember was two human hands on my back propelling me though the water. The only other person out there was Erik, so it must have been him. But how could he have…

A grumpy Uncle Blakely pushed open the hospital curtain and I knew I was in trouble.

"What were you thinking?!" He yelled at me. Aunt Lauren was lingering in the back. Unsurprisingly Zac was there to, surprisingly he brought everyone including the three strange girls.

I winced as the nurse continued to pull grains of sand out of the cuts on my back. My leg had already been patched up, barley more than a rug burn.

"I wasn't." I answered truthfully with a shrug, biting my lip when the movement pulled at my back.

"You could have been seriously hurt, or worse." Uncle Blakely crossed his arms, he was in doctor mode now.

"But I wasn't. I'm fine and the kid is going to be fine." I glanced around and sighed in relief, "You didn't bring Lily, that's good."

"She's staying with a close neighbor."

The nurse was finishing up wrapping my back in gauze. "Make sure to change the bandages once a day and keep an eye out for infection."

"Sure thing." I pulled the long button up shirt that had been given to me by one of the EMT's on and hopped down from the bed.

"Before we go they wanted you to fill out an animal attack report." Aunt Lauren said.

"Okay." I said as we exited the room and started down the hallway.

Close to the exit a very familiar blonde was waiting against the wall with his arms crossed. Erik looked up as the group of family and friends came near.

"You're okay!" I smiled up at him and pulled him into a hug.

Erik at first froze relaxed into the hug, but pulled away when the glares being sent our way got to be too much.

"Where'd you go? I asked the coast guard if they had found you on their patrols. I was worried." I narrowed my eyes at him as if the answer could be found written on his face.

"Yeah Erik? Why don't you tell her why you left her?" Ondina stalked up to Erik.

"Ondina." Mimmi tried to rein in the blonde with a gentle but firm hand on her arm. "I'm sorry Amber."

I nodded at Mimmi, "It's fine…"

"He should really learn when he's not wanted." Ondina butted in again.

"Okay," I brushed past them, taking Erik's hand and pulling him behind me. "I just need a moment to talk with Erik, alone."

"I don't like this idea." Zac shouted down the hall.

"Didn't ask you." I called back as we rounded the corner.

"Where are we going?" Erik asked when I led him into an elevator and pressed the button to the upper floor.

"It's a surprise."

The doors opened and again I took his hand and we weaved in and out of families and orderlies doing their jobs. After a more than a few twists and turns we came to a window and Erik immediately recognized the little boy lying inside.

It was the boy from the beach, his leg was bandaged. He was propped up on the bed, his mother on one side and his father on the other. They were watching a soccer game on the big screen tv in their recovery room. His father held the boy's hand tight in his and every once in a while the mother would lean over and kiss the boy's forehead and lovingly brush his bangs from his eyes.

After several silent minutes of watching the happy family I spoke up, "I know you got us to the shore." Erik's hand tense up in mine suddenly suddenly, and my eyes traveled down to our joined hands. "I don't know how you did it. And I get the feeling you don't want me to ask. So I'm not going to."

"Why'd you bring me here then?" He was still tense, like he was going to bolt at a moment's notice.

"To show you that you're not all bad like everyone downstairs says you are." He started to pull away but my grip kept him in place, "I know how they talk about you bothers you, even though you don't want to show it. You said you did something you regretted, we all do." My eyes were fixed on his and I saw relief there. "All you can do is move forward and try to be better."

"So this is you saying thank you?" Erik watched the family suddenly cheer as their team made a goal, the father high-fiving his son. "Cause its the best thank you I've had in a while."

"Actually," I tilted his face back in my direction. Then I paused, losing my nerve for a moment. Then I threw caution to the wind and leaned up and pressed my lips quickly to his.

He froze on contact, not expecting the kiss. But after a few seconds he wrapped his free hand into my hair. I leaned in closer, lifting my arms to wrap around him… only to remember we were in a hospital and this much PDA was probably not quite in the right place.

Quickly I stepped back, chuckling. "Actually, that's how I say thank you."

Erik blushed, "I think I like how you show gratitude. Care to show me again?" He reached to pull me close again.

My hand on his chest stopped him. "Maybe later. I gotta go. I still have to fill out a report with the coast guard."

"I'll see you around then?" He questioned, still holding my hand firmly.

"Course you will." I hopped to my tip toes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek before turning on my heel with an unusual spring in my step. Before I rounded the corner out of sight I whirred and gave him a peace out sign, "Bye bye fish boy."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Erik smiled to himself, staring at the last place he'd seen her.

Then Ondina shimmered into visibility beside him.

Clenching his teeth he looked up and down the hall to make sure no one else had seen the mermaid.

"What are you doing here?" Erik refused to meet her glare.

"Fish boy?" Ondina pressed accusingly.

"She doesn't know anything." He snapped.

The mermaid crossed her arms and stepped into Erik's path. "Are you sure? Because if she finds out, we're all in danger."

With a sigh he tilted his head down to the girl he used to and in some ways still cared very much about, "I wouldn't do that to you, or the other girls." He side stepped her and started down the hall, then paused turning back around, "How much did you see?"

Ondina's hard shell slipped for a split second revealing how hurt she truly was. Her eyes watered, the proof of which was quickly erased by a few blinks. She seemed to be searching for the right words. "She's too good for you." With that she walked away in the opposite direction Amber had gone.

Once he was alone Erik sighed and stuffed his hands onto his pockets. "You're right."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"It there anything else you can tell us?" The Coast Guard representative asked. "Anything pertinent to our investigation."

"No, I've told you everything I can think of." I told him.

She closed her tablet and headed for the door in the small waiting room we were in. "Before you go the local lifeguard manager would like to have a word with you."

"Ok." I nodded as she exited the room and a middle aged man with red shorts and a white shirt that read 'lifeguard' entered.

"Hi, I'm Gary." The man shook my hand and sat down in the chair across from me. "I'm the lifeguard boss, but I think that you already knew that so I'm going to cut to the chase. What you did today was pretty impressive."

"Where was the lifeguard that was supposed to be on duty?" I blurted without thinking, "Oh I'm sorry. I just, didn't mean…."

"Its okay" He placated, "That employee of mine has since been fired for obvious reasons. Meaning that I have an opening that needs to be filled."

Woah, "Are you offering me a job?" I couldn't believe my ears.

"Dr. Blakely mentioned that you were a lifeguard back in states. It'll take a couple brush-up courses and a few new ones, but the job's yours if you wanted it. What do you say?"

"Um…"

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Two Weeks Later

I walked in the front door, dropping my bag at the door step.

"How'd your certification test go?" Aunt Lauren asked while putting the finishing touches on dinner.

"Well…" Everyone was looking at me in anticipation, "You're looking at the newest Gold Coast lifeguard!"

"Congratulations!" Uncle Blakely wrapped me in a hug.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

I rode the wave on my surf board until it set me softly down on the sand. Luckily the shouting out in the water had been a few too enthusiastic children playing around. Hefting the board over my head I headed back up to the lifeguard lookout tower.

My third official day on the job. Though I'd been at the beach every day since my training began the day after I accepted the job. My crazy pale skin had gotten tan like it'd been last summer back at my old job.

My waterproof watch beeped alerting that the time was now one o'clock. And like the clockwork on my wrist, Erik sauntered down the beach with a bag and cup in hand.

"Got your favorite." He smiled and sat bag with my PP and J sandwich on the sand and handed me the cup.

"How did your talk with Zac go yesterday?" I'd finally had enough of their posturing and Evie had as well. The girls, besides Ondina, had mostly tolerated Erik and even moved up to pleasant conversations with him. But not Zac and Erik. So Evie and I made a little plan where we locked the two boys in a room together.

After what sounded like a hurricane inside Evie's storeroom at the juice café they had both called out for us girls to unlock the door and go home. They had things they needed to discuss without an audience.

"It went ok. He gave me the typical 'hurt her and I'll hunt you down' speech."

"And everything else?" I prodded.

"I think we more or less settled our differences." He nodded.

"And is Evie's storeroom intact?" a smile crept onto my face.

"More or less."

"Hey Amber." Jaden, another lifeguard,came over to relieve me for my break, "See you in twenty."

Erik grabbed my towel as we went to pick out a spot to sit and eat. "You know, I've got my Coke, my sandwich, but something seems to be missing." I teased coyly leaning up for a kiss, water dripped from my bangs onto my face like dots of rain.

"How could I forget," He leaned towards me and my eyes slid closed.

But instead of my boyfriend I was met with my towel was being rubbed all over my face, "What are you doing?!" Jumping back I swatted his hand away with barking laughter.

"You had sand on your face." Erik grinned tossing the towel to the sand. "Now, you're clean."

"Oh, bite me." I leaned up meeting his lips.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The next day I stopped first thing at the juice café. I was sitting with Zac and Erik, and thankfully the glaring match had subsided. Sirena and Evie had even come over to join us. However Mimmi and Ondina were nowhere to be seen.

David came over, his tray filled to the brim and began passing out our drinks. "So Zac tells me you can sing."

I nearly spit out the drink David has just brought out to me. Oddly everyone scrambled away from me, "Dudes, it's just coke." I said wiping my chin and sitting my drink safely back on the table.

All the while my cousin grinned at me over his mango juice. Zac waited for me to say something, I just gave him my death glare. "She did sing in choir back in Ohio." He blurted.

Crossing my arms I leaned across the table, I narrowing my eyes and daring him to continue. "Another word and I have a permanent marker that will have an appointment with your forehead."

A loud laugh escaped Eric's lips, "That's funny," Then seeing the look I was giving him, "Wait have you…?"

The blush that spread across Zac's cheeks was too funny for words. "Oh yes she has."

"And I'll do it again."

Erik slid his chair over to me and put his arm over the back of my chair. When he brushed a tuff of my hair behind my ear I knew I was done for, "You know, I've never heard you sing."

I groaned, but it was useless in resisting.

"I can't give you much, but I can pay you. That and Sirena can't sing every evening." David placed his hands on his girlfriend's shoulders.

I could use the money for college, and it wouldn't cut into my lifeguarding job, "Ok."

"Great!" David's sudden cheer made me jump. My knee hit the underside of the table nearly knocking over my drink.

"Okay." Erik unwrapped his arm from my shoulders. "Let's just move this over here for now." Sliding my glass to the center of the table.

Sirena and Evie starting giggling and before I knew it we all were.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

David of course had insisted that I start singing that night. I personally think he wanted me up on the stage before I changed my mind.

I bit my bottom lip and stared out into the crowd. Zac and Evie gave me thumbs up. Mimmi and Sirena smiled encouragingly. Even Ondina was here. And was that a smile I saw on her face? Music started over the speakers, but I didn't see him yet.

The song I picked was one of my more deep breath, and I opened my mouth to sing.

"He said let's get out of this town

Drive out of the city

Away from the crowds

I thought heaven can't help me now

Nothing lasts forever

But this is gonna take me down

He's so tall, and handsome as hell

He's so bad but he does it so well

I can see the end as it begins my one condition is"

Erik walked in the back, he was here just like he promised. Feeling a little more confident my voice raised stronger.

"Say you'll remember me

Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe

Red lips and rosy cheeks

Say you'll see me again even if it's just in your wildest dreams

Wildest dreams

I said no one has to know what we do

His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room

And his voice is a familiar sound, nothing lasts forever

But this is getting good now

He's so tall, and handsome as hell

He's so bad but he does it so well

And when we've had our very last kiss

But my last request it is"

The costumers began dancing around the café, swinging lightly to the beat.

"Say you'll remember me

Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe

Red lips and rosy cheeks

Say you'll see me again even if it's just in your wildest dreams (Ah ah) (Ah ah)

Wildest dreams

You see me in hindsight

Tangled up with you all night

Burn it down

Some day when you leave me

I bet these memories hunt you around

You see me in hindsight

Tangled up with you all night

Burn it down

Some day when you leave me

I bet these memories follow you around

Say you'll remember me

Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe

Red lips and rosy cheeks

Say you'll see me again even if it's just pretend

Say you'll remember me

Standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe

Red lips and rosy cheeks

Say you'll see me again even if it's just in your wildest dreams

In your wildest dreams

Even if it's just in your wildest dreams

In your wildest dreams "

My eyelids slid shut as the last note passed through my lips. Claps erupted starling me. Tears were starting to spill down my smiling cheeks. Cam and Zac both stood up on their chairs cheering. Those two goofs.

But I only had eyes for Erik. He was making his way quickly to the stage and before I knew what was happening I was in his arms being spin around. Blue and green lights decorating the café blurred into a sea of color and I smile against his lips. If it was possible, the cheers got even louder.

Except for Zac's shrill voice, "Oh come on man. She's my cousin!" though his real feelings were betrayed by his bellowing laughter.

Someone, I assume Evie, shushed him.

Note: I do not own the lyrics of Taylor Swifts "Wildest Dreams"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Running always made me feel alive. I channeled all my frustration into my pace, pushing myself faster and faster. The soundtrack to Disney's Descendants blasted in my earbuds as my feet hit the pavement. I was nice to get away from everything, even for just a little while. The heat wasn't as oppressive as it had been since Evie had lent me a few of her yoga pants and tanks.

The trail I ran along wasn't the best kept up. Rocks and tree trunks littered the path. Leaping over them, then jumping to grab low hanging branches and falling onto the balls of my feet felt exhilarating.

I came out of the tree line onto the path that skimmed the sandy beach. It wasn't a popular beach so there wasn't anyone around, especially not this early in the morning.

At least that was until I spotted someone walked up from the water. No not someone, Erik.

Popping my earbuds out, I jogged up to him smiling and waving. "Hey, what are you doing out here?" I spoke, a bit out breath.

A nervous laugh, "I could ask you the same thing." He deflected my question.

I knew he was hiding something, it was pretty obvious Zac and everyone were hiding something from me. It didn't take a genius to figure it out. Whenever I prodded too much, especially with Erik, he would freeze right up. At first I had thought that is was his former friendship with Zac, but that didn't seem to be the case now that they were slowly working their problems out. Maybe whatever it was it was too personal or painful to talk about, I definitely could relate to that and respect his privacy.

"I'm just out for a run, getting my workout in before work. I'm trying to beat my best time. A kilometer in three minutes."

"Really?" His smile was genuine, I loved that about him. "That's something I'd like to see."

"Would you now?" I leaned against the wood railing behind me, elbows propping me up. The sunrise was warm on my eyelids.

He was silent for a moment. "How about a race? Where are you headed to?"

My eyes snapped open with an incredulous laugh, his eager face didn't change. "You're serious?"

"Yeah, I'm a pretty fast swimmer, I'm sure I could keep up." The grin his face widened in challenge.

"All right you're on." This new playful demeanor caught me slightly off guard, but it wasn't objectionable. "Where do you wanna race to?"

He leaned down to stretch his legs. "The café? I've got a shift starting in half an hour."

"I don't have anywhere better to go until my shift down at the beach later." I knelt down in my runner's ready stance, "Just warning you, I'm not going to hold back."

'Wouldn't want you to." Erik took his stance to my left. "Ready."

"Set." A smirk formed on my lips, this was going to be fun.

"Go!"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Five minutes later I was sitting in a booth in the café when Erik stumbled in clutching his sides. I jumped up to meet him and, if needed, catch him if he fell down. He was looking really pale. "Told you I wouldn't hold back." I said sheepishly.

"You weren't kidding!" Pulling out a chair he plopped down into it and set his forehead on the tabletop. "That was pretty amazing."

"Thanks." The red flush of his skin was a little concerning, I bushed the back of my hand against his neck. "You could use some water."

Luckily I'd ordered us both a glass when I got in first. On the way back from the table I had been sitting in Carly collided into me and the two glasses in my hands spilled some across the table Erik was laying his head on.

Suddenly he jerked back and scrambled away from the water like it was acid.

"Oh my God are you ok?"

Erik checked himself up and down and gave a sigh.

"What's going on here?" Zac's voice came from the entrance to the café. He and Evie and the three girls were watching Erik suspiciously.

"I…I" I stuttered, "I don't know. Erik it's just water." I frowned at how he still kept his distance.

In an instant he untensed, like the flip of a switch. But he still refused to meet my gaze.

"I'll get something to clean that up." Carly said before heading to the backroom.

"What are your plans for today ?" Zac asked, making an effort to be nicer to Erik like I'd asked.

I checked the time on my watch, "I've got forty-five minutes until my shift starts at the beach."

"We both work until six," Erik said, a little more calm. "but I was thinking maybe we could go see a movie or something?"

"You guys have fun," Zac patted my shoulder, "Just remember that's my cousin." Zac half threatened- half joked before he walked out of the Juice Café.

"There's that new zombie movie playing. Reviews say that a guy gets his head sawed in half by a car door." I Jumped up and down clapping my hands together like a toddler.

"Sometimes your tastes scare me." Erik said catching my hands and giggling and swinging my around till my back was against his chest, his arms around my waist in a play wrestle.

I was so caught up giggling as his kissed my cheek that I almost didn't noticed the sudden hush that had fallen over the café.

People were getting calls left and right and the TV over the counter was playing a breaking news story. The broadcaster's grim face filled up the screen, a live video playing behind her.

"What's going on?" I shouted over the frenzy.

"A rash of shark attacks have broken out along the coast. No fatalities as of yet but the number of injured are believed to be on the rise…" The news caster spoke.

I didn't hear what she said next because behind her on the live feed was something that made my blood run cold.

Our beach was in the background. Lily was caught out in in the water full of panicked people. Aunt Lauren had mentioned this morning at breakfast that she was taking her to the beach to meet me. She was so small she could easily get trampled or left behind with no one looking out for her.

"Oh no." I breathed and grabbed Erik's arm to steady my weak feet. He looked up at the TV and gasped.

"Amber is that…?"

I was already running full speed out of the café. Erik's footsteps were following behind me but I was faster than him. Our races proved that and I couldn't wait for him. I ignored his yelling as I stripped off my shirt revealing my lifeguard swim suit.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

People crashed into each other and trampled over others unfortunate enough to fall down. A man fell down in the wet sand and just as he got up on his elbows he was crushed back into the sand. Madness, like one wave after another of people ran into and out of the water to pick up children or get to safety. Someone's fist collided with my cheek as I made my way to the man. Looping my arm under his shoulder I heaved him up.

"Thank you!" he shouted before being swept away by the throng of bodies.

I didn't see where he went. "Lily!" My cry tore at my throat, "Lily!" I made my way farther out into the water.

There she was in waist deep water, most shark attacks occurred in less than three feet of water. "Lily!"

She whipped around in the water her face tear streaked.

"Lily I coming to you!" the water about my feet felt thicker, compared to my running on land I felt like I was running in slow motion towards her.

I grabbed her in my arms and hustled to shore where our Aunt was waiting to take her in her arms.

Another small scream came from behind us, a frail looking older man forgotten in the fray. All the other lifeguards were so busy tending to the wounded that no one seemed to notice him out there.

"Stay here!" I told my Aunt and dived into the surf.

The man was farther out from shore where even my feet couldn't touch the bottom. He was clutching a blow up raft and was seemingly injured.

"I got you sir." I said to calm him and slipped my arm under his arms and around his back, gently lifting his grip on the raft and taking all his weight.

Then a dorsal fin emerged in the water not more than fifty feet behind us. In a burst of adrenaline I had us racing back to shore.

He screamed and my heart pounded in my throat.

Erik was at the shore yelling my name, pale and eyes fixed on what was gaining on us. His face was concentrated and his hand held out in a stopping gesture that I didn't have time to think about.

Aunt Lauren ran out into the water to meet us halfway. She was knee deep in the water when she took the man under his arm helping me get him further up the surf, "I've got him."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you ok?"

The man nodded and a young woman came running upon to take him into her embrace, "Grandpa! Thank you! Thank you." She steadied his feet and helped my Aunt take him up the beach towards the medics rapidly arriving.

The crowd was moving away from the shore and clustering around the ambulances.

Winded and exhausted I leaned over to catch my breath, the very tips of the waves brushing across my feet soothingly. "What's going on? That's two shark attacks in a month."

I looked to Erik and his concerned expression matched mine. "I don't know."

That's when I noticed his eyes looking me over head to toe very carefully and he frowned slightly. "Let's get you checked out." he held his hand out to me.

"I'm fine." I said waving him away.

He didn't budge.

"There are people who need the medics more than me." I replied.

"Humor me." Erik said with more seriousness than I'd ever seen on his face.

"Alright." I conceded and I took a step forward to take his hand.

And my foot wouldn't move.

Erik and I barely had enough time look down at where the water was boiling around my feet, swirling and tugging. Erik's terrified blue eyes met mine and I was yanked off my feet. If felt like a rope had been tied around my feet and was dragging my down the surf into deeper water. My fingers clawed into the sand and my scream was drowned by water sweeping over my head and into my lungs.

The last thing I saw before I was pulled under was Erik racing forward and diving headlong into the water after me.

Searing pain knifed into my right leg.

Salt burned my lungs and throat, the water was getting darker and colder.

So cold… tired.

Suddenly unbearable heat and the clamp around my leg let go. I was flying, no I was swimming, racing through the water. Gentle arms around me. Coral blurred into a blue haze and I closed my eyes… So tired…

…

…

…

Soft sunlight. I couldn't breathe.

"What' should we do?!" Someone, no Zac shouted. Zac was my cousin. What's was he doing in Ohio? No not in Ohio.

The beach… Lily… Shark… Drowning.

I shot up but something was holding me firm and I struggled against it frantically, whipping my hands out which collided with something smooth and wet that gave a loud grunt.

Erik's blue eyes were the first thing I saw. He was shirtless and wet. Erik held me in a pool of water in a cave. His eyes searching mine and his arms gently around me making me feel safe in the strange place. Far above his head sunlight streamed down a tall cone of stone.

"Amber it's okay, we're safe here. I've got you. You're safe." He curled me protectively against him.

My vision was still blurry and my head hurt. I leaned my head against his shoulder feeling safe here with him. Behind him I saw gold and blue glittering jewel like fish tails in the water.

I lost my grip around his neck and my hand slid down his smooth back, fingertips brushing something scaly near his waist.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way."

"What?" I asked, a bit spacy.

His sign was one of resignation. "Look down."

And I did. Directly below us where I expected to see his legs treading water was a deep indigo blue tail gracefully swaying in the water. Zac, Syrena, Mimmi, Evie, and Ondina were in the pool as well, each with their own beautifully glittering tail.

My eyes went back to Erik, traveling up his tail, to his face, and then his eyes. Reaching up my fingertips just barely brushing his jaw line, "Oh wow." And I passed out.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

When I woke up I was out of the water. In fact I was in a hospital bed surrounded by beeping machines. My leg had been bandaged and an IV in my arm pumped what I assumed was pain medicine into my veins, making me feel numb and warm.

My eyes drifted around the room and I didn't see any of my family. I was alone.

Scratch that, I looked to my side. Sleeping with his head on the edge of my bed was Erik. I softly ran my hand through his hair and he stirred awake. Eyes locking onto mine, one of his hands brushing along my bruised cheek.

"You're awake." He sounded like a drowning man who'd just been saved.

For a moment I wondered if what I had seen in the cave had been a fever dream, a bat-shit crazy scenario that my mind whipped up from the blood loss. But the look on Erik's face, upset and obviously stalling, refusing to look me in the eye. That took away any doubt that I what I saw had been a dream.

 _Then that meant… what I saw… Erik, my cousin, the girls were all mer…_ I couldn't even think the word. This stuff just didn't exist, the world was ruled by scientific principles and laws. All my years preparing for a marine biology degree never prepared me for this. Any yet right next to me sat someone who was undeniably, incredibly real.

 _And I don't want him to go._ The only way the world didn't know about Erik's kind had to be they kept is secret. Now that his secret was out he might leave and I was struck with how much that hurt. My heart thumped heavily in my chest, making the monitors beep faster and faster. Erik glanced at the monitor in concern while my face reddened. I had so much I wanted to say and ask, and I could tell that he needed to talk. How do you start a conversation like this? No relationship books had advice on a situation like the one we found ourselves in now.

The silence was killing me. "How long was I out?"

"Nearly 22 hours." Eric replied.

"Oh man. Where's everyone?" I asked sitting up, I winced when my leg shifted.

"We've been taking shifts until you woke up. Your family went down to the cafeteria about fifteen minutes ago." He sighed, "Amber I…"

He reached to take my hand but stopped, curling his fingers together and pulling back.

Deliberately I moved closer, each moment I gauged his reaction and he gauged mine, and I took his hand. "Why didn't you tell me?"

After a long time where I was afraid he wouldn't answer he spoke softly. "I almost did, many times. But the longer we were together and I didn't say anything the more I was afraid to. The longer I waited to, the worse it would be when I told you." Squeezing my fingers he continued. "I was afraid that you'd think I was a freak. That you'd run away."

His voice broke my heart, "Has that happened before?" I asked.

Eric dropped his gaze, his nod barely perceptible.

"Oh sweetie." I wrapped my arms around his neck. He leaned into me. I think he surprised himself by how much he needed this.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." He repeated.

"Don't be" I kissed his shoulder before pulling back. "I think I knew all along."

"What?!" He asked incredulously, and for the first time that evening I saw that smile that I loved.

"Did I know that my boyfriend had a tail? No" I laughed, "But I knew that you had a secret and I was willing to wait until you were ready to tell me. I guess I sorry in a way too. I'm sorry you weren't able to tell me in your own time."

Eric's eyes were wide. "Where did you come from?"

"I kinda wanted to ask you the same thing." I bit my lip, "If that's ok."

"I tell you anything you want, I don't want to keep anything from you anymore."

"I have one more question." I said taking both his hands in mine.

"What?" Eric frowned for a moment.

Nervously I spoke before lost my bravery, "Can I see?"

"My tail?" he asked, and I nodded.

He smiled, "When the hospital releases you I'll show you and tell you everything."

"Thank you. Can you go get Zac now? I think I should talk to him."

"Of course." Eric kissed the top of my head before heading out.

A few moments later Zac came barreling through the door. "Amber, thank God you're ok!" before I knew what was happening he was crushing me in a hug.

"I am, but I won't be if your crack my ribs." Giggling in relief that I was still here to hug my cousin I gently pried his strong arms off.

Then Zac sobered, "I don't really know what to say, about everything that happened and that you saw."

I had a feeling but I needed to make sure, "Is what I saw in that cave why you stopped talking to me this past year?"

"Yes…" He sat down in the chair that Eric had been sitting in. "It was so strange, and at first I felt so alone." Running a hand down his face he shifted uncomfortably, "Amber, I have no idea how to begin explaining this part of my life."

"It's ok Zac," I encouraged, squeezing his shoulder. "Just start from the beginning."

And he did. Zac told me about the first night where he'd accidentally fallen into the moon pool and woke up the next day with a tail. He told me about the trident. Mimmi, Syrena, and Ondina were the latest mermaids sent to keep an eye on him. Soon Zac found out he wasn't even human, but sent to land to be kept safe and Mimmi was his sister. He even told me about what happened with Eric, how he'd been so single-minded that he didn't see until it was almost too late that the trident and Merman Chamber were dangerous.

By the time Zac had finished the sky outside had started to darken. "My mom and Dad don't know about me yet, and I'm not quite ready for them to yet."

"Your secret is safe with me." I said embracing him again. "I love you Zac."

"I love you to Amber."

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The next morning Uncle Blakely walked in with a nurse.

"Who's ready to go home?" He pushed a wheelchair to the side of my bed.

The nurse helped me stand and move over to the wheelchair. Her arm a welcome steadying force until I was comfortably seated. "Actually Uncle Blakely, can we make one stop before going home?"

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Uncle Blakely's car stopped right at the end of EriK's short driveway which lead to his small boathouse sitting in the canal. I'd called ahead and Erik was waiting for us when we pulled in and parked.

Erik opened the passenger door for me and helped me out, easily supporting some of my weight until I got my crutches righted. My leg still hurt a lot, of course it would after getting fifty stiches from ankle to shin.

"Don't worry Mr. Blakely, I'll drive her home."

"Of course son." My uncle slowly backed out of Erik driveway.

Once the car was out of sight we headed into his house. Erik told me he bought this place from a guy named Will how had moved in with his girlfriend. While I'd been here a few times before, it all made so much more sense to me. It was right on the water, and the whole thing looked like it been set up by someone who lived in the ocean. Because it had been.

We went inside, the lights were warm and comforting where the hospital has been cold and sterile. Erik closed the door and locked it.

His eyes glanced around nervously, hands wringing themselves. "You ready?"

"I think so." I thought about answering with an offhand, yes, but decided to go with the truth. This was a big test of our relationship. Could we vulnerable around each other? Could Eric truly be himself around me? And could I handle the truth? I hoped I could, "Are you ready?"

Erik didn't say anything. He walked into his small kitchen and filled a glass with water. So it wasn't just ocean water that changed him, any contact with water changed. Eric's reaction to water made sense now. To live in constant fear that your secret could be revealed at any moment, I could only imagine.

"It would be best if we both sat down." Then he came back he helped me to sit next to him in the center of his living room. All the while taking great to not spill any of the water on himself.

Once we were both situated he handed me the glass of water. "Are you sure."

I gulped and nodded, my resolve was fixed, "Yes. What do you want me to do?"

Eric held out his arm to me, "Just pour the water on my hand."

"Ok." I nodded vigorously, then quickly leaning in I kissed his softly to both reassure Erik and steel my nerves. Then taking a deep breath, I tipped the glass. Sparking water rolled out onto his palm.

He shut his eyes tight. Bubbles swirled around him and soon where his legs were was a long blue tail.

Reaching out I brushed the tips of my fingers against his scales. They were smooth and warm. Now I noticed that his tail wasn't a pure blue like I had thought at first. Where his tail tapered to his fin the coloring turned from a deep beautiful aqua indigo to a silvery white.

This was who he was, this was a part of him just as much as the accident that took away my mother was a part of me.

While his form was different it was still him, still that same cocky smirk and over overconfident veneer he wore. Still the same Eric who I danced with and stayed up late watching horror movies with. There was nothing I wanted to change about him.

The only thing that had changed was that now I knew what happened when he went into water. But did it change anything?

Not a thing! The answer came so quick I surprised myself.

I knelt down closer and took his chin in my hand, turning his face to meet mine. His tail splayed out in front of him. He watched me warily as if he expected me to run at any second and it broke my heart. The thought that he lived his entire live afraid someone would find out his secret, and then even worse, reject him when they did made my heart ache for him.

I now understood why he didn't tell me. This was such a huge part of his life, it was who he was and to have someone flee in fear at the sight of the real you. I couldn't imagine how lonely it would be.

This was who he was. I was scared at first at the introduction to the unknown. But this was Eric, the boy who brought me lunch every day and kissed me goodnight. He would never hurt me, he was just a boy who love me, and I loved him. And that's all that mattered.

His arms hesitantly came around my waist supporting me.

Some of his blonde hair was tousled and I couldn't help brushing my fingers through it. We leaned closer, stopping and starting. Hesitant to see if the other would pull away, if maybe the other would shy back. But neither of us did and our lips met.

It was like our first kiss, and in a way it kind of was. The first kiss where we didn't have any secrets, any boundaries. My legs brushed against his tail. Eric could be who he really was without fear. Even when the kiss ended we still sat there, him holding me.

We talked long into the night, long after he'd dried and carried me to his couch. I leaned up against him drowsily.

We talked about his adopted parents and who he grew up.

"I didn't know what I was until I turned thirteen." He said playing with my left hand. "That's when I first changed. I'd always known I was adopted but it wasn't until then that my parents told me how they got me. An older man who'd lived near them one day approached them with a baby. The man, my birth father, simply handed me off and ran to dive into the water. His tail surfacing briefly before he was gone forever. He just discarded me, never telling my parents if there were more like him. I'd been so desperate to find others that I messed everything up. I thought I knew how to protect the mermaids. Zac tried to talk me out of taking the trident to the Merman Chamber. Ondina had told me it was her or the trident, but I was so single minded. I'll regret the choice I made forever. And I'll never stop trying to make up for it."

"You wouldn't be a good guy if you didn't." I said looking up at him.

"You think I'm a good guy?" Tone incredulous.

"Yeah, I do."

And there we were. Sometime in the night we both fell asleep, me laying against Eric, his arm around my waist. Truth be told I hadn't slept that well in months.

Author's Note: So a funny thing happened since I last updated. I ended up injuring the very same leg that I had written for Amber. I tore the ligaments pretty badly in my knee and I've been in and out of the hospital and doctors' offices. Which is part of the reason why I haven't written in a while. Its kind of funny how life imitates art. :) I also really wanted this chapter to be perfect, just the right amount of fluff, angst, comfort, ect. :) I hope you enjoyed, review and if you have any requests let me know. Bye bye for now.


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Hello Lovelies! I apologize for the long delay in updating. This is one of my favorite stories I am currently working on and I am committed to finishing it. I had to take a big step back from most everything in my life the last few months to focus graduating college on time as well as for my mental health. However this story was never far from my mind. I have now graduated college and am ready to start posting again. if you follow any of the other stories I will be posting new chapter for them again soon. If you have any suggestion or requests for this story feel free to comment or pm me.

Chapter Seven

The morning sun rays were warm of my face.

The sun!

"Erik wake up." I shook him but he just groaned and pulled me closer. "Erik it's morning."

"Good morning." That brought a smile to his face. He blinked bleary eyes up at me. Then he shot straight up. "It's morning!"

"I know!"

Scrambling for his car keys, Erik nearly tripped in his haste. "Oh no, Zac is going to kill me!"

"I really doubt that." I said hobbling up on my one good leg.

Erik rushed my crutches over to me. "You weren't there when Zac described all the painful things he would do to me if anything ever happened to you. And that was before the shark attack."

"Thank you." I took them from him and stretched up kissing his cheek. It sent a small thrill though me when he blushed. "Zac's always been over protective. I'll give him a call and explain why I didn't come home last night."

Erik's eyes had a mischievous glint in them, "So you're going to telling him we fell asleep together?"

I barked out a laugh before I could stop myself. "No," I bit my lip, looking down at my phone I was turning over and over in my hands, "I'm gonna leave that bit out."

"Good idea," Erik pulled a grey shirt over his head, "One thing before you make the call."

Erik gently took my crutches from my hands and leaned them up against the wall. While he supported my full weight, he brushed his right palm around my neck to rest at the back of my head. Leaning down he brushed his lips over mine, almost as if asking permission. My heart stuttered and suddenly he was too far away. On hand grabbed a fist full of his shirt while the other wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer he gasped in surprise.

Next thing I knew my feet were clear off the floor, the deep throbbing pain in my right leg was barely noticeable now. My skin heated up and everywhere I was touching him was both too close and not close enough. His arms tightened around me. I craned my neck to the side to catch my breath and shivered when I felt a kiss pressed to my throat.

"Erik," smiling I gently pushed him back, "We're getting a little carried away."

Erik pulled back and sat me on my feet again, but still held me tight so my injured leg wasn't holding any of my weight. "I'm sorry." He sounded genuinely worried, like he might have overstepped a boundary. Eric sighed, cupping my face as if I were going to break and pressed his forehead to mine.

"Don't be." I put my index finger to his lips, then turning his head I pressed my lips to the side of his mouth. "Besides, we should get going. I'm going to call Zac now."

"Right," Erik ran his hand through his hair, "And I'm going to, um," he chuckled, "Change my shirt."

Now it was my turn to apologize. His formerly pristine shirt was all stretched out of shape. "Oops, sorry." I said.

"Don't worry, its an improvement." He smiled and flicked my unruly bangs out of my eyes. "I'll be right back." He wore a frown, not an expression I saw on him often. His newfound gentleness showed itself again as Erik took my face in both his hands and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

"Ok." Through half lidded eyes I watched him head to the back out his boat house and open his closet. I shook myself, Erik was beginning to worry me. With a deep breath I dialed Zac's number.

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Erik rummaged through the few clothes he had and found a simple tee. Not his usual button up but it would do.

That last kiss was something else, it was different. When she pulled closer he felt a need to keep her close and safe. He felt life he was drowning, something he didn't think was possible for a merman, and she was all that was keeping him afloat. Eric couldn't get her face out of his head, not the bright smiling girl who grinned at him in the sunlight, but Amber's pale face unresponsive in the water.

When she was pulled back in to the ocean by the unseen force Eric didn't think, he didn't care who saw, he dove in after her. Seeing Amber in that thing's teeth had made the water around him literally boil. The monster roared in pain and let her go.

Holding her body in the moon pool was one of the worst moments of his life. The water, usually a magical shade of blue, was rapidly being stained red. He was crying, he didn't care who saw. Brushing his hands over her face, her head lolling to the side, he was nauseated by how limp she floated there. The thought she might never open her bright chocolate eyes terrified him more than facing any of the creatures of the sea.

Eric shook himself from the memory. The shirt in his hands was wound tightly around his fist, stretched hopelessly out of shape. Eric put the shirt on.

Amber was right here, he had to remind himself. She's right across the room. Sunlight streamed in through a window making her hair glow like brass. Color filled her cheeks, and though still paler than usual, her smile was as beautiful as ever.

When she had pulled him closer, deepening their kiss he was overcome with an overwhelming need.

According to legend mermen were very aggressive creatures, but Eric had always felt like he was just a regular guy who grew a tail in water. He never believed the stories of the warrior mermen facing down armies of sharks or humans alone… Now looking at Amber sitting on his couch, injured and in pain even if she tried not to show it...

Erik clenched his fists and glared out of his kitchen sink window towards the open ocean. Mermen were warlike creatures, and for the first time in his life Erik truly felt it.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

I hung up my phone just as Erik was coming back from the far side of his boat. "Hey Zac wants us to meet at Rita's. He says that she needs to talk to us," I swallowed hard, "all of us."

This would be the first time I would be meeting the older mermaid. Eric and Zac hadn't told me much about her, I was nervous.

Erik nodded, "All right, we better get going."

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When we pulled up to Rita's her house seemed completely unassuming. It wasn't until we were inside and Erik pulled back a book about mermaids did I finally see what was so magical about this place where mermaids lived.

"A hidden basement. How amazing!" The walls were made of sandstone and I distantly heard the echo of water. I moved forward but had to stop. These crutches were so much more painful than I though was frigging possible. Under my arms was rubbed raw and it took nearly all my effort to get from the car to inside the house. And great… there were stairs to go down to get to the grotto.

I grimaced in pain. I'd already taken the pain meds that the hospital gave me so there was nothing more I could do but grin and bear it.

"You ok?" Erik put his hands on my shoulders.

"Yeah, just these steps don't look fun." I answered.

"Here let me help." Erik took my crutches, then put one arm around my back and the other around my knees.

The relief I felt when no more weight was on my right leg was immense, "Thanks."

"Don't worry," Erik's face was close to mine, "I've got you."

We descended the steps slowly. Everyone was already here. Ondina, Mimmi, and Sirena sat close together on one side of a couch like outcropping in the sandstone. Evie and Zac sat holding hands on the other end. An older woman with wavy warm brown hair and a kind smile stood at a rock table with various books and jars spread out. Looks like there had been a lot of research done before we got here.

The second Zac saw us he jumped up and was over in a flash, "Do you got her? What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," I assured him, "The crutches just took a lot out of me."

Zac followed Erik closely as he laid me down on the couch. Evie and Zac arranged pillows around my right leg to keep it elevated. Eric then sat down I gratefully leaned against him, the warmth radiating from him was comforting. Erik braided our hands together.

I quickly caught a glance of Ondina and her hurt expression. Now that I knew everything I felt a little guilty being affectionate with Erik around her. I made a promise to myself that I would talk to her and try to make things right between the two of us as soon as possible.

The older woman, who had to be Rita, swept over to Erik and I. Her floor length aqua green silk dress swirled around her like water. Rita's gracefulness made me wonder how anyone could ever think she was human, she was no ordinary woman.

"Hi I'm Rita," She introduced herself, "I'm sure Zac and Eric have mentioned me." I nodded, "Good. Well I've asked you here for two reasons. The second we can discuss while we work on the first. Mimmi," She turned to the brunette mermaid, "If you could help me."

Mimmi stood and picked up several of the bottles that were on the table and joined Rita in kneeling next to me.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"We've been working on a potion that can help with the pain of a shark bite and maybe…" Mimmi smiled sweetly and opened a jar of salty smelling jelly, "hopefully help you to heal faster."

"Really, wow." I was astonished, "You really don't have to you don't owe me anything."

"Of course I'm going to help you," Mimmi said excitedly, "You're family." She smile at Zac how grinned back at his sister, it made a warm feeling bloom in my chest. Mimmi turned back to me, "I was up all night working on it. Its an old recipe from my pod. I had to make a few adjustments since you're a land-girl but it should work."

"I hope so," Ondina spoke up, "We don't need another cat incident" she said with a genuine smile on her face.

That got a laugh out of everyone, but I was confused. I glanced at Erik's beet red face. He just shook his head and whispered, "I'll explain later."

Rita finished unrolling the gauze around my leg and pulled back the huge bandage covering most of my calf and shin. The second she pulled the bandage back all the laughter was sucked out of the room.

I hadn't seen it before. Since I woke up there had been to many other matters and much needed conversations that I nearly forgotten about the physical damage actually done to my leg. Now that I got a good look at it I felt a hard knot form in my stomach.

It was bad, really bad. Where my skin and flesh have been ripped into was the clear out line of the sharks bite. And the bite radius was huge. I had stitches all around the circumference of my leg. The skin was deep blue and purple and angry red and the stiches quite literally knotted my flesh together.

"Oh my dear." Rita breathed out.

Mimmi stared open mouthed, Zac looked like he was going to hurl. Even Ondina had some sympathy in her eyes. Erik wrapped his arm around my chest from shoulder to shoulder and I gripped his forearm to keep me grounded.

It was definitely going to scar. I didn't really care too much about how pretty I looked to others, but I'm just human and it bothered me a little bit.

I shut my eyes and took a deep breath. "Ok how do we approach something like this?" One of the teacher's voices from my life guard training sounded loudly in my head. "We approach it coldly and analytically. When faced with traumatic injury you can't get caught up in the emotions. Detach yourself and go from one problem to the next. Keep calm."

I breathed hard and looked to Rita, "It looks worse than it is. What's was the second thing you wanted to discuss?"

Rita opened and closed her mouth, probably expecting a bad reaction from me. "Well, the girls and I have been discussing the recent shark attacks and there is a pattern that has us all concerned."

Mimmi handed Rita the jar of jelly and Rita scooped a handful out. I flinched when her fingertips came into contact with my skin. Rita snapped her hand back, "I'm sorry."

I grimaced and through clenched teeth I assured her, "Its okay. Do want you have to. You were talking about the shark."

Rita nodded and began to explain while she and Mimmi set to work on my leg, "What's been troubling about these recent attacks is that from what the girls, Zac, and Erik have told me it appears as if this shark has been toying with its victims. Since you were at both attacks and had close contact with this animal we wanted to hear from you if there was anything off."

"Yes."

Rita's eyebrows went up. "How so?"

"The first time I was in the water with it, it kept using its rough skin to tear away at my skin. All that blood in the water and it didn't attack. From my studies sharks normally get a bite of human flesh and then spits it out because we don't exactly taste good. The other common outcome is that with all the blood in the water instincts take over and the shark enters a feeding frenzy." I explained. Erik tightened his arms around me.

"There was pliantly of blood in the water and yet I felt like I was being played with." I stopped for a second as a realization hit me, "Or like I was bait…" I sat up and twisted to face Erik, "Each time you came out into the water. I don't think it wanted humans. What if it was after merpeople?"

"That's what we were afraid of." Rita finished on my leg by putting sheets of seaweed over my leg, "Mimmi can you finish wrapping gauze around the wound?"

"Of course." Mimmi then set to it.

"What do you mean?" Zac asked, "How could a shark lay a trap like that?"

Sirena picked up one of the books on the table, quickly running it over to Rita, "It could if it wasn't really a shark."

"What?" Evie asked wide eyed. Zac took her hand and squeezed tightly. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"There's something you all need to know." Erik stood and walked to the center of the room. "I hadn't gotten the chance to tell you all until now, but it wasn't rip tide that swept Amber out to sea." He frowned deeply and shoved his hands into his pockets. Glaring a single spot on the stone floor he continued, "Amber was right at the shore when a water tentacle, just like one of ours," Raising his hand a small column of water rose out of one of the drinking glasses scattered across the room, then he sent it back, "just like this, wrapped around her foot and dragged her back into the water." He came to kneel down next to me, grumbling along the way, "I feel so stupid for not thinking about this until now."

Ondina looked to open her mouth to retort, but I grabbed his hand, "Its okay." I reassured him.

"I was just so relieved you were alive I completely forgot." He pressed his forehead to mine, as if to reassure himself I was still there. The expression on his face was completely vulnerable and so unlike his usual confident suave gusto.

Zac cleared his throat awkwardly. Erik took the hint and sat back down beside me.

"OK so this shark has powers like ours. What does that mean?" Zac leaned forward with his elbows propped up on his knees.

Rita answered setting a gloom over the whole room, "I think it means it is one of us."

Everyone's heads shot up when she said that. If Rita hadn't had all of our undivided attentions she did now. She wrung her hands and unlocked a chest, taking out an extremely old and weathered stone tablet. The stone looked to have pictogram markings carved into it. "It's a very very old magic. In times of war a mermaid or merman would chant a secret song and become a weapon. The spell would take all of the anger and rage this merperson was feeling and use it to twist their form."

"I've never heard about this in mermaid school." Ondina carefully took the fragile piece of stone from Rita.

"Oh you wouldn't." Rita's grave voice quickly answered, "Only the highest ranking elders on the mermaid council would know anything about this. It was decreed that this was a forbidden magic and that the spell and all who used it were to be wiped from living memory."

"Damnatio Memoriae." I spoke, at their confusion I explained, "Its Latin for 'condemnation of memory'."

"Precisely" Rita was impressed, "Back when our two worlds weren't so separate there was a custom called Damnatio Memoriae where all records and evidence or a disgraced traitor would be erased so that history would forget. This spell didn't just change the forms of those who used it, but their minds. Often the merperson in question would turn on their own, stealing power or worse." Rita took the slab back from Ondina, "This is the only surviving record to my knowledge."

"This is very serious, I will be heading to speak to the mermaid council immediately." Rita all but ran up the stairs with the tablet. She stopped at the railing, "Until then keep yourselves and the land people your care about close. Be careful."

Rita disappeared around the corner and I heard a splash come from one of the other chambers of the grotto.

The tension Rita left behind her was stifling. Mimmi and Sirena cleaned up the table and Erik and Zac helped me back up the stairs and into Zac's car.

"I'll see you tomorrow." I told Erik through the backseat window.

"Goodnight." Erik squeezed my hand before getting in his car and driving home.

Zac sat in the front with Evie while Mimmi sat in the backseat with me.

"I hope I didn't overstep earlier when I called you family," Mimmi said quietly.

I was slightly surprised, "No of course not."

"No no I shouldn't have presumed," Mimmi stumbled around her words.

"You're fine, family is important and I could use all the family I can get." I took her hand.

Mimmi smiled, "So could I."

Zac pulled into the drive way and turned the ignition off. The sun was setting and the streetlights had already flickered on.

"Uh OH!" Zac stammered.

"Wha…" I began to ask what was wrong but I didn't have to.

My very pissed off Uncle was standing right in front of Zac's car, hands on hips and foot tapping furiously. I think I'd like to take the shark on again.


End file.
